The night was deep, suffocating, and eerily quiet.
Lila's body hit the cold, grimy floor with a sickening thud. Her mind, lost in darkness for what felt like an eternity, finally clawed its way back to consciousness. Every inch of her felt frozen. But her thoughts? A whirlwind.
She remembered everything—like pieces of a nightmare shoved back into place.
That evening, her "sister" Vanessa had invited her to the city's most luxurious private swimming club. Just two sisters, hanging out, bonding.
But Lila, who had been a natural swimmer since childhood, had somehow slipped in the deep end. A chilling, invisible force had gripped her ankle and yanked her down. No matter how she struggled, she couldn't break free. The icy water swallowed her whole.
Just as she was about to black out, a strong arm had pulled her back from death's door. But she was too far gone to see who had saved her.
Now, the harsh stench of disinfectant invaded her nose.
She was still in the swimming club.
Lila tried to open her eyes—but her body felt like it was filled with lead. She couldn't even move a finger.
Suddenly, a voice pierced the silence.
"She's alone now! Do it, Mom!"
It was Vanessa. Her voice urgent. Cruel.
Susan—Lila's adoptive mother—replied in a hushed but venomous tone, "Lock the door. Now."
Click.
The sound of the lock snapping shut echoed like a death knell.
Silence.
Then Vanessa's voice came again, cold and heartless. "The club manager and the coach took the money and left. Hurry. Pour the whole thing down her throat."
Lila couldn't move—but she heard every word.
Susan's hands were trembling as she unscrewed the cap of a small black bottle. She stepped closer, gripped Lila's jaw, and tried to force it open.
The air filled with a sickly, metallic stench.
Vanessa hissed, "We've planned this for so long. This is the final step. Once Lila's dead, the Lin family's engagement—and all that money—will be ours!"
Dead?
They wanted her dead?
Her foster mother. Her sister.
Lila's heart shattered into a thousand pieces.
Susan glanced at Lila's face on the floor—pale like porcelain, delicate features, rosebud lips, breathtakingly beautiful. No wonder Lu Corporation's heir, Lu Zhe, had once looked at her differently.
Jealousy twisted Susan's face.
"She's still breathing…" Susan muttered.
"Good," Vanessa sneered. "That means it's working. We tried everything—framing her for theft, cheating, destroying her reputation. Even made Lu Zhe disappointed in her. But the engagement still wasn't canceled. So now—we kill her."
Lila's pulse thundered in her ears.
Everything made sense now. The rumors. The betrayal. Lu Zhe's cold eyes. His ignored calls.
Vanessa had been behind it all.
The sister she once adored… was a devil in disguise.
And this wasn't just any swimming club. It was a 24-hour luxury facility—usually full of people, even late at night.
But tonight? Dead silence.
They had planned everything.
Susan hesitated. But Vanessa snatched the bottle from her and snarled, "Lu Zhe grew up with me! That engagement was mine from the start! Lila seduced him with her fake innocence! I won't let that bitch steal what's rightfully mine!"
She crouched down, holding the bottle to Lila's lips, laughing cruelly. "I even rigged the pool to make it look like an accident. Too bad you survived. But this poison? There's no second chance."
Lila's fingers twitched.
She was awake.
Fully awake.
Her mind burned with rage.
Vanessa's voice twisted into something poisonous. "You're just an adopted stray. Who gave you the right to compete with me for Lu Zhe?!"
She leaned in, her voice low and dripping with malice. "You won over Grandma Lu with your pitiful act. But I loved Lu Zhe first! And now? Your reputation is in the gutter. No one will even care if you die."
Every word sliced through Lila's soul.
The betrayal. The lies. The drowning.
All of it—
Planned.
Her whole life… a lie.
She had given everything to this family. To Vanessa. Letting her have the best food, the best clothes. She had loved them.
And in return?
They gave her poison.
Her fury exploded like fire in her chest.
With every ounce of strength, Lila forced her eyes open.
Her gaze locked on Vanessa like a blade.
"AH!" Vanessa screamed, stumbling back. The bottle fell and shattered, spilling poison across the floor.
Susan froze, too shocked to move.
Vanessa shrieked, "She's awake! Mom, kill her! Smother her!"
Susan hesitated.
Vanessa grabbed a towel from the wall, lunged forward, and slammed it over Lila's face.
"DIE, YOU BITCH!"
"Mmfff—!"
Lila struggled, lungs screaming for air.
She wanted to scream, I'll haunt you! I'll drag you both to hell with me!
But she couldn't make a sound.
Her vision blurred. Memories flashed like lightning—her kindness to Vanessa. Her secret love for Lu Zhe. Vanessa's mocking laughter.
"Since you're so 'kind,' Lila," she had whispered, "then die and make room for your real sister."
No.
NO!
Lila's soul screamed. If there was a next life—
She'd make them PAY.
Every single one of them.
A thousand times over.
———
"Lila! Lila! Are you dressed yet?"
A familiar, saccharine voice yanked her back from the abyss.
Lila's eyes snapped open.
Piano music echoed in the distance. She looked down—she was wearing a pale lavender gown with an elegant off-shoulder cut. Her hair cascaded like silk. A delicate hairpiece glimmered in her curls. She looked into the mirror…
And saw the face of a young girl. Maybe eighteen. Soft, pure. Beautiful.
But… this face was younger.
Too young.
From outside, Vanessa's sickening voice called out again, "Lila, open the door! Lu Zhe is here to see you!"
Her heart thundered in her chest.
Memories came flooding back like a tidal wave.
She had… reborn.
She had come back to the beginning.
This time—she wouldn't be naive.
This time—no more playing the good girl.
This time—Vanessa, Susan, even Lu Zhe… would all pay.
She opened the door slowly.
Vanessa stood there, fake smile plastered on her face. Behind her stood a tall man in a tuxedo. Sharp brows, cold eyes, impossibly handsome.
Lu Zhe.
His gaze swept over Lila for a moment—then looked away.
Vanessa's smile twitched. "Look at you, dumbstruck! Lu Zhe came here just to see you!"
Lila lowered her eyes, hiding her smirk.
Dumbstruck?
No. She wasn't shocked.
She was planning.
She looked up slowly, a sweet smile curling on her lips—but her voice? Icy and sharp.
"Thank you for always looking after me, sister. It's… truly touching."
Vanessa froze.
Her smile almost cracked.
And for a brief second—
Lu Zhe looked back at Lila.
Frowning.
Something had changed.
Yes.
This time, Lila swore:
They would all pay.
Everyone who betrayed her… would crawl at her feet.